Folding coop for poultry.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

'W. H. WARNER, JR. FOLDING COOP FOR POULTRY.

APPLIGATION- FILED APR. 4. 1903.

NO MODEL.

' INVENTOR BY A A ATTORNEYS WITNESSES 1''" 68 J m ans co. PHOTOL!THO.WASHINGTON, n cy Patented November 24, 1903.

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WILLIAM HENRY WARNER, JR, OF ALLEGAN, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 744,827, dated November 24, 1903. Application filed April 1, 1903. Serial No. 151,016. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRY WAR- NER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residingat-Allegan, in the county ofAllegan, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Coops for Poultry, of which the following is a specifica- Lion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fign re 1 is a perspective view of the coop set up for use; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of one side thereof; Fig. 3, a detail side elevation of the coop knocked down; Fig. 4, a detail horizontal sectional view of one corner, and Fig. 5 a similar view showing a slightlydifferent form of means for connecting the front to the sides.

The main object of this invention is to pros;

- to form a light butsubstantial coop for poultry and thelike and which may be readily separated and packed into a small space for storage and transportation.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a convenient cleaning-door through which the bottom of the coop may be cleaned.

Referring to the various parts by numerals,

1 designates the bottom of the coop, whichin the present instance is rectangular and is provided on its upper surface near its parallel side edges with eyes 2. The vertical sides of the coop are formed of the rectangular frames 3, which are covered with a suitable fabric 3. It is obvious that these frames may be covered with wire-cloth or other suitable material. To the outer sides of the lower bars of these side frames are pivoted hooks 1, which are so located that when the sides are in position on the bottom said hooks may be engaged in the eyes 2. In the inner sides of v the vertical bars ofthe side frames are formed vertical channels or grooves 5, in which fit the side bars 6 of the front frame 7, the corresponding side bars of the back frame 8 each fitting in the grooves in the rear bars of the side frames, as shown in Fig. 2. These front of the side frames and resting on the top bars of the front and rear frames is the top frame 9 of the coop, the upper surface of this top frame being substantially flush with the upper surface of the horizontal bars of the side frames. Secured to the side bars of this top frame about midway their ends are outward extending clamp-plates 10, whose outer ends are turned down and normally fit against the outer surface of the upper horizontal bars of the side frames. These downward-bent ends of the clamp-plates are-perforated for the passage of clamping-screws 11-, whose inner ends enter perforations in the top bars of the side frames and securely hold the entire coop together. The front and rear bars of the top frame rest on the top bars of the front and rear frames and securely hold said frames in their positions and prevent the upward movement thereof. This top frame is covered with cloth or any other suitable material, as is also the back frame.

Between the vertical bars of the front frame a short distance from the lower ends of said bars is arranged a horizontal cross-bar 12, and between this bar and the top bar of the frame are arranged at a suitable distance apart the vertical bars 13, a large space being left between the two inner bars to form a door-opening14. Sliding on these two inner rods are two horizontal door-strips 15 of the main door, which are connected together by means of the vertical rods 16, the lower one of the door-strips normally resting on the cross-bar12. The vertical door-rods 16 are only about one-half the height of the rods 13, so that the door only extends up about onehalf the height of the coop. Depending from the top bar of the front frame between the two inner rods 12 are a series of short rods 17, the lower ends of these rods extending through perforations 18 in the upper door-strip 15.

Fitting between the lower ends of the side bars of the front frame below the cross-bar 12 is a cleaning-door 18 the pivots 19 of said door extending from the side edges thereof,

near its top, into the side bars of the front frame. By swinging this door upward on its pivot the bottom of the coop may be readily cleaned Without unduly disturbing the poultry or other occupants thereof and Without any danger of permitting them to escape.

It will be thus seen that I provide a crate or poultry-coop of exceedingly simple construction, which will be light and yet have ample strength and rigidty for the purpose for which it is designed.

It will be noted that in order to knock down the crate or coop the clamp-screws 11 need only be removed. When this is done, the top frame may be removed, and this releases or unlocks the front and rear frames, which may then be readily drawn upward from the grooves in the side frames. By releasing the hooks 4 the sides may be detached from the bottom piece and the entire coop packed up, one frame upon another. When in this knockdown condition, it will occupy a very small space and will be in a very convenient shape for transportation or storage.

It will be readily understood that the vertical grooves in the side frames may be large enough to receive the entire thickness of the vertical bars of the front and rear frames, or they may be merely small grooves to receive tongues on the edges of these frames,as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. It is also obvious that in making large coops or crates more than two sets of hooks and eyes may be employed to connect the sides to the bottom and that as many clamping devices as desired may be employed to connect the top frame to the sides. It is also obvious that if found convenient or desirable other forms of clamps and fastening devices may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a poultry-coop the combination, of a bottom piece provided with eyes along two of its parallel edges, side frames adapted to rest on the bottom and provided near their lower edges with hooks adapted to engage the eyes on the bottom to detachably connect the sides thereto said sides being provided with vertical grooves in their-inner surfaces near their forward and rear edges, front and rear frames adapted to slide vertically in said grooves and rest on the bottom piece said front and rear frames being slightly shorter than the side frames, a top frame fitting between the side frames and resting at its front and rear edges on the tops of the front and rear frames, outward-extending clamping-plates connected to the top frame and extending down on the outer sides of the side frames, a clampingscrew in each of said clam ping-plates adapted to engage the outer side of the adjacent side frame, a vertically-sliding main door mounted on the front frame, and a cleaning-door mounted in the front frame below the main door.

2. In a poultry-coop the combination, of a bottom piece provided with fastening devices along two of its parallel edges, side frames adapted to rest on the bottom and provided near their lower edges with fastening devices adapted to engage the fastening devices on the bottom to detachably connect the sides thereto, said sides being provided with vertical grooves in their inner surface near their forward and rear edges, front and rear frames adapted to slide vertically in said grooves and to rest on the bottom piece said front and rear frames being slightly shorter than the side frames, a top frame fitting between the side frames and resting at its front and rear edges on the tops of the front and rear frames, outward-extending clamping devices connected to the top frame and extending down on the sjouter sides of the side frames and adapted to engage the outer side of said frames to secure the top frame in position and to hold the side frames against the top frame, a main door mounted in the front frame and a cleaningdoor mounted in the front frame below the lower cross-bar thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of March, 1903.

WILLIAM HENRY WARNER, JR.

Witnesses:

CoRA H. WILKES, CHAS. R. WILKES. 

